The news that Britain has dropped into its first double-dip recession since the 1970s, makes us want to batten down the hatches. But that's not the way to economic recovery.

Avoiding the shops will never bring us out of recession: instead, perhaps the time has come to be more patriotic in our product choices. We're not talking about buying the plethora of junk available for the royal diamond jubilee (an ice cream scoop in the shape of the Queen's face, anyone?). But we could consciously buy everyday items made in Britain, such as British groceries, clothes and toys. How about celebrating with an all-British corn beef sandwich (Waitrose £1.90) and English wine?

"When you read reports of a recession, it's easy to feel disheartened," says Simon Wells, chief economist at HSBC. "Household budgets are squeezed, and price inflation continues to outstrip wage inflation. However, there's no point being overly concerned with the latest figures and definitely no reason to panic."

Might we, as consumers, be able to bring the country out of recession?

Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, says: "It's a fact that if we bought more British goods, we'd limit the imports and that would help the economy. However, it would have to happen on a significant scale for it to make a difference, and only the people who can still afford to spend, without getting into further debt, should be spending."

A huge shift towards buying British is exactly what those in the manufacturing industry are hoping for. This week, Michael Clarke, chief executive of Premier Foods (which owns Hovis, Mr Kipling and Batchelors) called on Britons to buy British brands.

But consumers don't seem to know what is British any more. A survey by Stoves, the British manufacturer of cookers, found that half of British consumers don't know which brands still claim to be made in Britain. This led to the company launching a standard marque for Made in Britain products, an initiative backed by Labour leader Ed Miliband.

It comes at a time when the government is being criticised for not supporting British businesses. A recent study by the British Made For Quality industry alliance found that nine out of 10 of the businesses it represents believes the government is letting down the UK's smaller manufacturing companies.

Buying British isn't all about wearing Barbour jackets and motoring round in a Mini. It's about choosing good-value British basics, from sausages to skincare products, which won't leave you out of pocket.

Food

Forget olive oil: it's time to start drizzling British rapeseed oil over your rocket salad. Waitrose reports that British rapeseed oil is the fastest growing oil in its range. It's even got the Jamie Oliver seal of approval: his new restaurant, Union Jacks, is using Farrington's rapeseed oil instead of olive oil. Buying British fruit and vegetables is straightforward too. Supermarkets clearly label British produce and if you buy only British fruit and vegetables, you'll be buying in season, which should keep costs down.

Other supermarket British ranges include: Morrisons selling only 100% British fresh beef, lamb, pork and poultry; Tesco's Finest range, where the fresh pork, ham, sausages and bacon are all 100% British; and Sainsbury's, which sells only British chickens and sausages in all of its ranges, year round. The major supermarkets also mainly sell 100% British milk and British own-brand eggs. Sainsburys also uses only British flour in its bakery and sells chillies grown in Lancashire, and Asda has just started a new trial to grow grapes in the UK.

"The perception is that farmers markets are more expensive but for fruit, vegetables and eggs, that's definitely not the case," says FARMA spokesperson Rita Exner.

Drinks

Britain produces some excellent wines, spirits, real ales and ciders and what better way to toast the jubilee? Picking up British booze from supermarkets is fairly simple: Tesco says its Finest English White 2010 (£8.79) by Denbies Estate Winery in Surrey is very popular with customers, for example.

To find which store stocks your tipple, see the website Wanttobuybritish.co.uk. It has a section listing everything from real ales, to ciders and spirits and where to buy them.

British vodkas include Chase, while big-name gins include Beefeater and Boodles, and there's a huge selection of Scottish-distilled whiskys easily available in the UK.

For wine lovers, the jubilee bank holiday coincides with English Wine Week, where some of the 400 vineyards in Britain will be promoting their bottles. UK wine is fairly competitive on price; it starts at £7 for a Wiltshire-made white, on Greatenglishwines.co.uk, for example.

Cars

Buy a British car and you really can support the economy. That's the rallying cry of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which reports that 80% of components of a car can be made in Britain. Nissan, Toyota, BMW and Jaguar have all got a base in Britain, making their cars worthy choices when it comes to buying British.

The motor industry is responsible for 11% of British exports, and represents £52bn worth of manufacturing in Britain, and there are further jobs on their way.

Nissan, for example, produces the popular Qashqai, which lays claim to having the most British-made parts, and the company has recently announced 625 new jobs in Sunderland, which is expected to lead to a further 3,000 further down the supply chain.

Furniture

It's perfectly possible to buy affordable British furniture, says the Association for British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM). British brands include Parker Knoll, Wesley-Barrell, Multiyork, Westbridge and Vale Upholstery, and major retailer DFS also manufactures its own range in Britain.

It should be easier to spot British furniture labels in shops during June: it is Great British Furniture month. "Britain manufactures everything from high-end sofas to the more affordable ranges sold in Argos, Ikea and Homebase, for example," says Adam Mason, spokesperson for the BFM.

He points out that the more expensive ranges can end up being better value for money.

"It can work out as better value in the long run to buy a slightly more expensive sofa if it lasts a lifetime," he says.

Clothes

As the vast majority of clothes are made in the Far East, filling your wardrobe with British buys can prove tricky. However, there is an increasing demand for British-made fashion, according to the British Fashion Council. Asda is launching a British made T-shirt (£8, George) in May, with £2.50 of each purchase going to charity.

And year round, you can show your support on your legs – M&S sells nine million pairs of hosiery each year, all made at its eco-factory in Belper, Derbyshire. It even has tights emblazoned with the Union flag.

The alternative is to go down the "supporting British designers" route, and give your custom to stores such as Topshop, known for its fostering of British design talent.

There are also lots of smaller labels, which are usually available online. For example, Sweateronline.com does reasonably priced knitwear, all made in Britain.

Toys

Around 85% of toys sold in Britain are manufactured in the Far East. Orchard Toys, however, makes fantastic educational puzzles and games from its Norfolk base, using sustainable materials. The Wentworth Wooden Jigsaw Company is another British brand. It makes jigsaws for adults as well as children, and its Wiltshire base sources everything, including the packaging, from the UK. The products are available online and from National Trust shops.

Cosmetics and toiletries

Better known brands include Neal's Yard Remedies, Scottish Fine Soaps and Arran Aromatics. "But there are lots of excellent British products out there," says Katie Slater of Lovelula.com, a British-based beauty website. She says: "Look out for brands such as Nude Skincare, made by the founders of Fresh and Wild wholefoods, and Oskia. Pai Skincare products are good value when you consider their quality."

Ceramics

To support British ceramics, it's worth buying those still produced in Staffordshire. The main pottery factories still in Stoke-on-Trent include: Emma Bridgewater, Portmeirion Potteries, Royal Stafford and Spode. Royal Stafford, for example, has a range inspired by the jubilee available from John Lewis. It also produces the Fenella Smith and the Carly Dodsley ranges.

Appliances and homeware

Stoves.co.uk sells free-standing cookers and built-in hobs, as well as integrated appliances, such as freezers and dishwashers. For extra savings, you might pick up a bargain in its clearance range on the main website. Other brands to look for include: Belling and New World.

With fabrics mainly being made overseas, it's hard to find British bedding and table linen. The safest bet is a retailer such as John Lewis, which produces it's own-brand duvets, pillows, weave fabric and curtains at Herbert Parkinson, the John Lewis-owned factory in Darwen, Lancashire.